Offical NCAA Tournament thread

[shoothoops]

Imagine being a Cincinnati fan. Mick Cronin delivered 9 straight tourney appearances, all but one of them with single digit seeds, and you get 1 Sweet 16 (in the second one) and then 7 straight years of first weekend exits. Cronin leaves for UCLA and in 2 years he takes an 11 seed to the Final Four. March is funny like that.

Add UCLA to the 11 seed, First Four to Final Four list. In 12 seasons as a head coach, Shaka Smart has made the NCAA 2nd weekend once. It was his 4th place Colonial team, 11 seed, First Four to Final Four team.

[StillAWarrior]

Even though I would have liked to go 4/4 on the FF, Michigan's loss guarantees that I'll finish in the money - I'll at least get my money back. If Houston beats Baylor, I'll win the office pool.

[brewcity77]

Say what you want, and lets throw away ACU because the Zags also had Norfolk St.  Kenpom rankings:

OK (42), CU (21), USC(6) = average 23
BYU (17), Bama (9), UM (4) = average 10

Baylor had the second hardest tournament slate (avg 14 throwing out the worst team).

Just going by all opponents kenpom average:
UCLA: 35
Baylor: 59
Gonzaga: 69
Houston: 73

Gonzaga also already beat the 2, 3, & 4 seeds in their region. Has any team beat their 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 seeds before? And 8 to go along with it? All by double digits?

No team has gone out of their way to challenge themselves more than this Gonzaga team. Tried to play preseason #2 Baylor & #3 Villanova as well. They've faced the largest point spread of the first, second, Sweet 16, & Elite 8 rounds & beaten the spread each time. They are also better per kenpom than any team in the metric's history.

To this point of the season, they are the GOAT of my lifetime. If they finish the season the way they've carried on so far, there really won't be any debating that.

[The Sultan]

Gonzaga also already beat the 2, 3, & 4 seeds in their region. Has any team beat their 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 seeds before? And 8 to go along with it? All by double digits?

No team has gone out of their way to challenge themselves more than this Gonzaga team. Tried to play preseason #2 Baylor & #3 Villanova as well. They've faced the largest point spread of the first, second, Sweet 16, & Elite 8 rounds & beaten the spread each time. They are also better per kenpom than any team in the metric's history.

To this point of the season, they are the GOAT of my lifetime. If they finish the season the way they've carried on so far, there really won't be any debating that.

It's so hard to compare across eras, but yeah I think the only team that is going to be able to challenge them is Baylor and that's only if they play REALLY well.

[Uncle Rico]

It's so hard to compare across eras, but yeah I think the only team that is going to be able to challenge them is Baylor and that's only if they play REALLY well.

I thought USC could give them real trouble and that thing was over faster than Willie turning on the Marquette head coach

[Mr. Nielsen]

First time ever, no school east of the Mississippi River in the Final Four. Wow!

[MU82]

If we had fired Wojo after Hausershima and wanted to hire Mick Cronin, I wonder what the Scoop reaction would have been.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

If we had fired Wojo after Hausershima and wanted to hire Mick Cronin, I wonder what the Scoop reaction would have been.

I would have been all for it but it wouldn't have happened.  Cincinnatti isn't that far below MU and Cronin and Buzz are great friends. 

[MuggsyB]

I thought USC could give them real trouble and that thing was over faster than Willie turning on the Marquette head coach

I was very surprised with how bad USC looked defensively.  Because they're a pretty good defensive team.  Now maybe the defenses of Baylor, Houston, or UCLA can turn Gonzaga over or get in their grill but the scary thing is I don't think Suggs has played particularly well.  If it winds up being Gonzaga vs Baylor I think Baylor is going to have to be big from downtown.  They're absolutely capable and have more overall perimeter quickness.  However, I think it's going to take Gonzaga playing below they're top level and Baylor having a really good shooting night. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

I would have been all for it but it wouldn't have happened.  Cincinnatti isn't that far below MU and Cronin and Buzz are great friends.

Exactly. Cronin helped Buzz get out of Dodge.

[NickelDimer]

If we had fired Wojo after Hausershima and wanted to hire Mick Cronin, I wonder what the Scoop reaction would have been.

Considering what Buzz had accomplished and Cronin being in a very similar mold I think most would've been very pleased. I know I would have. But the top choice had we moved on from Wojo then would've been Oates.

[MU82]

Thanks for the answers on Cronin. Obviously, he's done a heck of a job. Overcame injuries to get his team in the tournament, and has kicked butt in it. Brought lots of good teams into Big East battles with Marquette way back when, too.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Elite 8 on Monday/Tuesday... not great for TV ratings

Monday 3/29:
Arkansas/Baylor (9:03, CBS): 6.447M
Oregon State/Houston (6:15), CBS): 5.922M
Tuesday 3/30:
UCLA/Michigan (9:00, TBS): 6.886M
USC/Gonzaga (6:15), TBS): 5.399M


2019 Ratings
Michigan State/Duke (Sunday 4:05, CBS): 16.197M
Auburn/Kentucky (Sunday 1:20, CBS): 10.493M
Purdue/Virginia (Saturday 7:45, TBS): 10.486M
Texas Tech/Gonzaga (Saturday 5:05, TBS): 7.722M

[Pakuni]

Elite 8 on Monday/Tuesday... not great for TV ratings

Monday 3/29:
Arkansas/Baylor (9:03, CBS): 6.447M
Oregon State/Houston (6:15), CBS): 5.922M
Tuesday 3/30:
UCLA/Michigan (9:00, TBS): 6.886M
USC/Gonzaga (6:15), TBS): 5.399M


2019 Ratings
Michigan State/Duke (Sunday 4:05, CBS): 16.197M
Auburn/Kentucky (Sunday 1:20, CBS): 10.493M
Purdue/Virginia (Saturday 7:45, TBS): 10.486M
Texas Tech/Gonzaga (Saturday 5:05, TBS): 7.722M

Likely had more to do with the day of week than anything else.
The Sweet 16 games had their highest ratings since 1993.

[Billy Hoyle]

Likely had more to do with the day of week than anything else.
The Sweet 16 games had their highest ratings since 1993.

there are no plans to stick with this year's schedule, but moving forward the Sweet 16 games will be one at a time.  I enjoyed the full day of hoops for a second weekend.

[MU82]

For those of us who are a certain age ...

How about UCLA being the 13.5-point underdog darlings and a WCC team being talked about in "greatest ever" terms?

Where have you gone, Swen Nater?

[Mr. Nielsen]

there are no plans to stick with this year's schedule, but moving forward the Sweet 16 games will be one at a time.  I enjoyed the full day of hoops for a second weekend.

Sweet 16 will be back to Thursday/Friday. They will not be one game at a time.

[Billy Hoyle]

For those of us who are a certain age ...

How about UCLA being the 13.5-point underdog darlings and a WCC team being talked about in "greatest ever" terms?

Where have you gone, Swen Nater?

That's because the media and fans consider "ever" to be within the last 10 years, at most.

This GU team is very good, but 1984 Gtown, 1990 UNLV, 1999 UConn, 2000 Michigan State, 2001 Duke, 1996 Kentucky, 2005 UNC (and probably Illinois) 1991 and 1992 Duke teams, off of the top of my head, would handle them with relatively ease (I can't speak for the 70's teams since I'm only in my 40's).

[Uncle Rico]

That's because the media and fans consider "ever" to be within the last 10 years, at most.

This GU team is very good, but 1984 Gtown, 1990 UNLV, 1999 UConn, 2000 Michigan State, 2001 Duke, 1996 Kentucky, 2005 UNC (and probably Illinois) 1991 and 1992 Duke teams, off of the top of my head, would handle them with relatively ease (I can't speak for the 70's teams since I'm only in my 40's).

Maybe, but that's the beauty or curse of these arguments.  Lot of those teams were veteran teams, something we see less and less of. 

[MU82]

That's because the media and fans consider "ever" to be within the last 10 years, at most.

This GU team is very good, but 1984 Gtown, 1990 UNLV, 1999 UConn, 2000 Michigan State, 2001 Duke, 1996 Kentucky, 2005 UNC (and probably Illinois) 1991 and 1992 Duke teams, off of the top of my head, would handle them with relatively ease (I can't speak for the 70's teams since I'm only in my 40's).

I don't think the Zags are the best ever, but maybe I'm as guilty of old-guy bias as the kiddos are of recency bias.

Most of the UCLA champs were stocked with superstars, as was 76 Indiana, as were K's best teams, as was AD's Kentucky team, etc.

Whether those teams would beat the Zags, let alone "with ease," we'll never know.

Right now, we don't know if these Zags will even win this year's title.

[tower912]

Who is officiating?
Which era's rules?   Shot clock, 3 pt line, etc.

What is a foul?
What is a charge/block?


How about, if Gonzaga runs the table, we simply put them among the greats, instead of arguing which team is actually the greatest.

[brewcity77]

That's because the media and fans consider "ever" to be within the last 10 years, at most.

This GU team is very good, but 1984 Gtown, 1990 UNLV, 1999 UConn, 2000 Michigan State, 2001 Duke, 1996 Kentucky, 2005 UNC (and probably Illinois) 1991 and 1992 Duke teams, off of the top of my head, would handle them with relatively ease (I can't speak for the 70's teams since I'm only in my 40's).

It's laughable to think any pre-2000s team could play with the best teams today. Nostalgia is fun, but the level of skill, strength, and conditioning from the top to the bottom of today's rosters is unrivaled. Gonzaga would walk them easier than they did USC.

[GooooMarquette]

For those of us who are a certain age ...

How about UCLA being the 13.5-point underdog darlings and a WCC team being talked about in "greatest ever" terms?

Where have you gone, Swen Nater?

Yeah, NBA player who could barely get off the bench in college.

[PGsHeroes32]

there are no plans to stick with this year's schedule, but moving forward the Sweet 16 games will be one at a time.  I enjoyed the full day of hoops for a second weekend.

Umm...impossible for what you just said to be correct.

The only way to do the 1 game at a time thing again would be to keep this schedule and have the Sweet 16 on the weekend.

They are not starting Sweet 16 games at 1:10 pm central time on Thursdays.

[MU82]

Yeah, NBA player who could barely get off the bench in college.

I was trying to think of an obscure UCLAn and his was the first name that popped into my head.